Shoes to Shiraz | Two Teens and their Mama | A Lovely Little Wardrobe | R Squared
Confessions of a Frumpy Mommy | Family Love Inspiration Education
Daily Style Finds | Making The Most of Everyday | Puppies and Pretties | She Thought She Could
Foxy’s Domestic Side | Once Upon a Time & Happily Ever After | Sprinkled Just Right |
Hey Friends!
Linking-up with the Style Me gals to share some homemade, handmade, DIY project we have created. I am always one of the last ones to post when we do a link-up, not intentionally but I have to mull over our theme for an unreasonable amount of time until I have an Ah-ha moment. Or an Ah-oh moment…I am out of time!
First let me say HI to my bff Sharon. I was working on this while we were texting back and forth. She was at Target and sending me pics of the pretty spring things her store has. I was bemoaning the fact that my store was naked of anything spring-like. Love you, Sharonia!!
Back to the business at hand.
My immediate thought for this link-up was to post pictures of my two beautiful daughters on their birth-days and then now, and say…
Ta-Da!
But that seemed too easy. And I can’t honestly take total credit for Brennyn and Lauren, I guess. Almost, but not quite.
So instead I am going to feature the evolution of my very first acrylic painting (since college days). It wasn’t homemade but Hobby Lobby-made because that’s where I have gone to paint. It is definitely handmade because I don’t paint with my feet, teeth or trunk. And it was DIM rather DIY because I Did It Myself.
Here we go.
Paul bought me an easel, paints, brushes, and canvases as a retirement gift. I was touched but terrified by that thoughtful present. What if I tried to paint and I messed up? Then again, wasn’t I an art (ed) major in college (only 35 years ago?). I can still ride a bike (and I learned to do that 50 years ago!).
All the while, my paints and my easel gathered a six month layer of dust while I tried to get up courage to paint.
Then I saw that Hobby Lobby was offering “lessons” and I signed up. I think what Martha, the HL instructor, offers is less like instruction and more like encouragement. And with her boost to my self-esteem, I started my first painting.
I had decided to use an old photograph of my daughters sitting in a field of poppies at the foot of the Franklin Mountains, near our home.
So I guess they are a part of this DIM (and almost everything else I do).
That first day, I kind of jumped right in. Primed the canvas with a kind of ochre color, set in my mountains, then used chalk to add my daughters then hesitatingly began adding paint.
Don’t run for the phone to make an eye appointment. It’s not your eyes. These pictures (and most of mine) are fuzzy. Going to have to invest in a real camera.
I think it was two weeks before I got the courage to go to class again. Here is a picture from the next lesson. I jumped in with both feet that day. Got a little wild working on the mountains.
We went on vacay, and I didn’t go back to paint until August. (It is a wonder I ever finished!)
From August, I took a real hiatus from painting. I think I got busy subbing, and doing Young Rembrandts for awhile and didn’t really go to painting class. I am sure I went once or twice but not much more than that.
These photos are from February 8 and February 18, 2015. The poppies just started getting brighter and more lush. I tried to work a little on the girls’ jeans. And Martha helped me thin out my clouds some. Then I was done!
I waited til frames went on 50% off at HL and found the perfect one. Then I waited til PC went to work to hang my painting in the den. He always insists on finding a stud in the wall before we decide where to hang pictures. But I tend to think a picture doesn’t look right hanging 5 feet off the ground just because there was a stud in the wall at that point.
So, that is my little DIM. I have started working on a second painting of the beach from our Cancun vacation. And I am working on a glass mosaic table top. I will spare you pictures of those and save them in case we do a similar link-up down the road.
Now I need to quick look like I have been getting something done around the house before PC comes home. Shhh, don’t tell him that I have been goofing on with you.
Hugs and kisses,
Sharon
That is the most beautiful picture! Love it! You are the most multi talented person I know! I enjoyed shopping with you via text today. Hope you can come visit this summer so we can shop together in person! XO
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Oh, thank you. I dabble in a lot of things, not necessarily successfully. It was fun shopping with you today and we will do it together in real life soon. XO
Shaunacey
okay, I know I’ve said this before, but you are so so so talented!!!!!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Ah, Shaunacey, you always touch my heart. Thank you. I am finally settled into this retirement gig and rediscovering things I had long forgotten. Thank you so much.
Katie
Leslie! These are just beautiful! So talented!! I’ve always wanted to paint but I am just horrible!! LOL
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Thank you, sweet Katie. Do you have something like I Painted That! near you? I have done it once and going again this coming Friday. Great fun. And anyone can be a painter with their guidance. Look into it!
Karen Strand
Leslie! This is amazing! I truly stand in awe of your painting talent! The original photograph is just precious too. Great job!!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Thank you, Karen. I have loved that photo for so long. Now I have a new version of it to enjoy. I hope to be able to paint at home on my balcony this summer and graduate from taking classes.
Brennyn
I love watching the transition mom! It looks amazing hanging in the living room. I can’t wait to see it in person! Great job
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Oh, Brennyn, thank you. I really like it framed in the living room. It is warm looking. Hope someday we can get a picture of Coo in the poppies.
Sheila @ Making the Most of Every Day
You are an AMAZING painter! Wow! What talent! My husband wants to learn to paint! I didn’t know that Hobby Lobby offers classes! I’ll have to look into that for him! Thanks for sharing!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Hi, Sheila! Thank you so much. Truly I am just (re)learning how to paint. You are very kind. Our Hobby Lobby has two different instructors teaching painting classes. Hope you can find something for your hubby. Or you could sign him up for I Painted That, if you have one of those near you. Great fun!
Sarah @ Foxy's Domestic Side
Wow! That’s amazing! I saw this on IG but the picture was so small. This looks great, way better then I could ever dream of doing…actually I don’ even think I can make a stick figure 😉
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Have you ever tried I Painted That!, Sarah? If you think you might like to try painting, check to see if you have an I Painted That franchise near you. It is a great way to start painting and everyone is successful. Even those who only draw stick figure people. Thank you so much for coming by, sweet one. Come again.
Alison @ Puppies & Pretties
Wow!! What a great idea to take a photo and paint it. You did a wonderful job!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Thank you, Alison! I am so glad you came by. One of my goals this year is to put some of my own art in my home. This was my first step. Hope you will come by again. I am a faithful follower of your blog!
Lana
Leslie, this is just beautiful! You are so talented, truly. I laughed when you wrote about saying you “made” your daughters because I had the same thought! Hope you had a great weekend!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
We DID make our beautiful children, didn’t we? And we “done good!” I always appreciate you coming by, Lana, because I feel a connection to you. Somehow I think we are alike in many ways and I always learn something new from your great blog. Thank you, friend.
Carrie
Amazing! I don’t think I would tackle painting. You’re so creative!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Thank you, Carrie. Going this Friday to I Painted That! with some friends and my sweet Prince. Stay tuned for what we create then. Great fun.
Bethany @ The Southern Couture
You did a brilliant job. You really are talented.Thank you for sharing at the Motivational Monday Link Party. Hope to see you again Sunday night.
Bethany from The Southern Couture
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Yay! A new visitor. Thank you for coming by, Bethany. And your sweet words warm my heart. I will definitely come back by to share in the Motivational Monday Link Party. Just need to think what my activity will be…thinking cap is on! Please come back again.